Chris Granger/The Times-Picayune archiveLSU and Tulane were scheduled to open the 2010 season in New Orleans, but the Tigers instead will open against North Carolina in Atlanta on national television.

BATON ROUGE -- North Carolina has officially been added to the LSU football schedule for next season. Tulane has been subtracted for the next six.

LSU and Tulane mutually agreed to end their 10-year home-and-home contract after this season, paving the way for the Tigers to open 2010 with a marquee game against the Tar Heels in the Chick-fil-A Kickoff Classic in Atlanta.

In releasing its schedules for the next two seasons, LSU also announced it will host McNeese State for the first time next season and Northwestern State in 2011.

That was one of the issues LSU took with the series, negotiated under then-Athletic Director Skip Bertman. Officials at LSU wanted greater flexibility in scheduling nonconference foes, and playing Tulane in New Orleans every other year might leave the Tigers with only six home games.

"Tulane is a wonderful institution, and it's been a great series, " LSU Vice Chancellor and Athletic Director Joe Alleva said. "I don't have any problem with playing them here. I'm looking for as many home games as I can get, and from a financial standpoint it doesn't make any sense to play them in New Orleans."

Tulane received a financial settlement neither side would disclose, and LSU agreed to a future game in New Orleans.

"We feel like we exited it in a balanced way -- the same way I think we went into it, " Tulane Athletic Director Rick Dickson said. "It's unfortunate for all. We went into it with the idea of building some equity into the fact there have been 98 or something games played -- probably when we're done around 100. And so the thought going into it was there's not a whole lot of those relationships going on around the country, recognizing that over the past 30-40 plus years we have not been in the same conference, and can you build back some equity into it was kind of the backdrop as to why we went into it."

Tulane is tied with Ole Miss as LSU's second-most common opponent behind Mississippi State (102 games).

The game with North Carolina will be the seventh against the Tar Heels and first in 23 years.

"This is a great opportunity for us to showcase our program on a national scale against a top program from the ACC, " Alleva said. "This will be an exciting way to start the season, and we think this will be a great experience for our fans. A prime time national telecast means tremendous exposure for our football program and our university."

Said LSU Coach Les Miles: "This game will mean a great deal of exposure for our football program. Atlanta is a great city and a place that has always treated us very well."

The McNeese game will be the first LSU has played against an in-state Division I-AA team. LSU has played Northwestern State 10 times when the schools were in the same division. The last meeting was in 1942.

"By scheduling McNeese and Northwestern State, we are keeping money in-state and at the same time providing financial assistance with the game guarantee to two of our fellow universities here in Louisiana, " Alleva said. "It makes sense for us to play games against in-state schools when our schedule allows, rather than bringing in an FCS school (I-AA) from another state."

Northwestern State is coached by former LSU assistant Bradley Dale Peveto.

"Excited doesn't begin to describe the reaction we have, as players and coaches, to locking up this game at LSU, " Peveto said. "Personally, with my ties to LSU, it's special."